About Me

Monday, September 28, 2009

When you face trials

When we face a major problem in life, the normal reaction is to surrender the things that bring meaning to life itself. It may be our family (for e.g. people run away from home), it may be our faith (people give up their faith), or it may be life itself (people give up the will to live). We do not choose the problems that confront us, but we can choose how we deal with the problem.

The apostles were certainly men of great conviction. Every single one of them, after the resurrection of Christ, faced severe persecution. All, except Apostle John, died violent deaths. Not a single one of them chose to surrender their faith but they chose to give up their lives. This is a great testimony of their strong conviction.

Few of us ever face a problem in life half as severe as the apostles faced. Yet we complain that our cross is too heavy to bear. Shouldn't we stand up as brave soldiers of the cross? Do we so quickly forget what a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear? "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" as the bible says in James 1:2-4.

Today I feel my burden weighing heavily on me, so I am writing this as a reminder to myself, and not to preach to you something alien to me.